How to pronounce finely
Say it like FYNE-lee. Finely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FYNE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce finely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FYNE
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Finely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FYNESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of finely
American and British speakers say finely in essentially the same way: /ˈfaɪnli/ in the US and /ˈfaɪnli/ in the UK.
British respelling: FYNE-lee.
What does finely mean?
- in tiny pieces“the surfaces were finely granular”
- in an elegant manner“finely costumed actors”
- in a delicate manner“finely shaped features”“her fine drawn body”
Where does finely come from?
From Middle English finely, fynely, fynly, fineliche, finliche, fynliche, equivalent to fine + -ly.
Words that rhyme with finely
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of finely.
Questions about saying finely
How do you pronounce finely?
Say FYNE-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈfaɪnli/. In British English it is /ˈfaɪnli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in finely?
Finely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FYNE). Broken into parts: FYNE · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say finely the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfaɪnli/ and the British form is /ˈfaɪnli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.